There’s something about the musical Annie.
Maybe it’s because it’s set in America that it has a sugar-coated, too-good-to-be-true feel.
After all the story of the plucky orphan Annie who casts off life’s hardships with a sunny smile and a catchy tune is a tad contrived.
The ultimate rags-to-riches tale sees her not only find the parental love that she so desperately yearns in the improbable form of industrialist Oliver Warbucks, but it also turns out he’s got bucks – big bucks.
But for all its inherent cheesiness it is entertaining and the star of the show was undoubtedly Victoria Sian Lewis who captivated the audience from start to finish, singing her solos with charm and clarity.
The cast of orphans, played by members of Bright Sparks theatre and dance academy, also held their own with Shannon Kelly, playing Molly, putting in a few scene-stealing appearances.
The irrepressible Su Pollard hammed it up as the gin-soaked orphanage manager Miss Hanningan, proving that she hasn’t lost any of her comic timing from her days in Hi De Hi.
While David McAlister, as Daddy Warbucks, delivered a masterclass in how an American accent should be spoken as he made the transformation from hard-nosed businessman to father figure.
For all its fairytale qualities, the musical is a sharp insight into the politics of America’s Great Depression and strikes a chord with today’s round of cuts and austerity measures.
Perhaps there’s a lesson in it for Messers Cameron and Clegg?
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